Gethin, 3A, 3B – Linking: result, cause - KEY

 

Linking: result and cause (according to Greenbaum & Quirk 1990 it is ‘reason’) – PRACTICE:

Transform the following by using the words in italics:

 

being     Since this is the case, many people have to cut down on smoking.

• This being the case(,) many people have to cut down on smoking.

knowing       Mrs Smith knows that tennis is his favourite hobby, and so doesn’t try to stop him.

• Knowing that tennis is his favourite hobby, Mrs Smith doesn’t try to stop him.
• Mrs Smith, knowing that tennis is his favourite hobby, doesn’t try to stop him.

such…that     Three years ago there was a very bad drought, so that the wells began to dry up.

• Three years ago there was such a bad drought that the wells began to dry up.

so…that     Very few of the children are well enough to perform in the school concert and so they’ve cancelled it.

• So few of the children are well enough to perform in the school concert that they’ve cancelled it.

for     The city was a very important and rich centre. Therefore they were determined to capture it.

• They were determined to capture the city, for it was a very important and rich centre.

!!! a for clause must be in final position; occasionally,  for can begin a sentence if this can be linked to what goes before, e.g.

Cyclists were moving faster than anyone else. For they had a tremendous advantage in this traffic.

!!! as, since, because can act as links either at the beginning or in the middle of sentences.

 

Express the following using too:

The teacher spoke so fast I couldn’t take any notes.

• The teacher spoke too fast for me to take any notes.

It’s a difficult topic, and we can’t go into it now.

• It’s too difficult a topic (for us) to go into  ~  now.

It’s a very burning issue, so don’t leave it to anyone but him.

• It’s too burning an issue to leave  ~ to anyone but him.

The swimming pool was so shallow you couldn’t dive into it.

• The swimming pool was too shallow to dive into  ~ / for diving.

Sue’s very direct, and most people don’t like that.

• Sue’s too direct for most people’s liking.

The tea Mary served was rather strong. I can’t say I liked it.

• The tea Mary served was rather too strong for my liking.

The lightning in the room was so dim you couldn’t read by it.

• The lightning in the room was too dim to read by  ~ / for reading. 

Mark’s a terrible Philistine and doesn’t like classical music.

• Mark’s far too much of a Philistine to like classical music.

Bridgit’s such a perfectionist she couldn’t possibly be responsible for that error.

• Bridgit’s far too much of a perfectionist to be responsible for that error.

Express the following using enough:

She was quite old and could have been her mother.

• She was old enough to have been her mother.

He was honest, and did not try to deny his responsibility.

• He was honest enough not to try to deny his responsibility.

I was such an idiot that I threw away an opportunity of studying abroad.

• I was idiot(ic) enough to throw away  an opportunity of studying abroad.

Try to express the two following sentences in three different ways (using too, enough, and a contrasting adjective):   

Some people are foolish and don’t realise it is really expensive to smoke.

• Some people are too foolish to realise it is really expensive to smoke.
• Some people are foolish enough not to realise it is really expensive to smoke.
• Some people are not sensible enough to realise it is really expensive to smoke.

 

There are some people who are so mean that they won’t give at least a little of their money to charity.

• There are some people who are too mean to give at least a little of ….
• There are some people who are mean enough not to give at least a little of… .
• There are some people who are not generous enough to give at least a little of … .